House on Fire

Located in the Bears Ears National Monument area are a wealth of various Indian ruins dating back centuries.

The national monument is found on the Cedar Mesa, a large, high desert mesa laced with canyons carved through the soft sandstones. It was in these canyons that ancient cultures like the Anasazi, farmed and built homes and granaries in the canyon walls for protection. The structures shown here were granaries where the inhabitants stored primarily corn. Most of these ruins date from 750 to 1300 AD, however, these canyons may have been inhabited as far back as 2,500 years. Climatic studies indicate a prolonged drought that may have compelled the inhabitants to move elsewhere, from 1276 to 1299 AD.

Located in Mule Canyon, and about 23 miles south and west of Blanding, Utah, on HWY 95, it’s an easy canyon hike of just over one mile to reach this particular ruin. More ruins may be found by hiking further down canyon. What makes this particular place stand out is the unique lighting created by the shaping of the sandstone ceiling above the ruins; reflected sunlight at the right time of day and the response of a digital camera to those conditions. The combined effect makes it appear that flames are leaping from the rooms onto the ceiling. We hiked here in the spring of 2023.